FEMA E-mails Show Agency in Chaos Before and After Katrina

A series of internal e-mails reveals the government agency charged with responding to Hurricane Katrina was in a state of chaos before and after the storm devastated the U.S. Gulf Coast.

The e-mails among several high-ranking officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, including then-director Michael Brown, were released to U.S. Congressional investigators and copies were obtained by news organizations.

The messages show FEMA was overwhelmed by a host of issues, including communications failures and bureaucratic

fights between the agency and the White House.

Mr. Brown resigned as FEMA director after he was roundly criticized for the agency's slow response to the disaster.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is expected to be asked about the e-mails when he testifies before a congressional committee on Wednesday. The Homeland Security department oversees FEMA.